Alexstrasza
}} The immense dragon is colored a deep, rich red that seems to shimmer and dance before your eyes. The noble head, slender and graceful, seems to regard you with a curious and inquisitive air. The Dragonqueen Alexstrasza the Life-Binder, Aspect of the Red Dragonflight, is the guardian of all life in the world of Azeroth. She was also appointed as queen of all dragons by the Titans. Alexstrasza, also known as the Dragonqueen and the Great Red Leviathan, is one of the three Great Dragons who fought against the demons during the War of the Ancients. Later, she helped create Nordrassil, the World Tree, by placing a magical acorn within the second Well of Eternity. For some time after, she and her fellow red dragons were at peace, but over time they began to argue about how best to shelter and protect the world. The rise to power of humans and other races left many believing that these new peoples were dangerous and should be destroyed, while others of Alexstrasza’s ilk felt they should be educated to teach them right from wrong. When Alexstrasza later disappeared, the red dragonflight began a desperate search for her, only to fall prey to Deathwing’s depredations. Those of the red dragonflight who survived eventually discovered that the orcs had captured their queen and were using her offspring as pawns in the Second War. Outraged, many of the red dragons wanted to make war against all the lesser races, but the rescue of Alexstrasza by Rhonin and his allies taught them that perhaps the ground-dwelling mortals could be good after all. Today, Alexstrasza remains distant and aloof, avoiding the entanglements of Azeroth’s humanoid races and remaining strictly neutral in their wars. She prefers peace and solitude, although she will defend her lands with all her power against any who threaten them without due cause. She often uses her shapechange power to appear as a creature of nature, in order to see what encroaching mortals will do before revealing her presence. Alexstrasza is devoted to all forests, and to a lesser extent all other types of green and fertile growing things. She considers all natural woodlands her home, and she need fear no beast within such lands. Although many of Azeroth’s natural creatures revere the Great Red Leviathan, she is not a goddess and does not pretend to be otherwise. Alexstrasza is rarely venerated by any particular group, although some elven communities pay her homage. Druids of the wild in particular appreciate her serene presence, considering her second in importance only to Ysera. For someone of her power, the Dragonqueen is surprisingly compassionate. While Ysera has always favored the dreaming races and the students of Cenarius, Alexstrasza and her flight are known for avoiding killing if at all possible (as they are the defenders of life). Alexstrasza loves all living creatures and protects them, and only those who menace the dragonflights or the world face her wrath. Alexstrasza is supremely confident in her strength and righteousness. She does not seek out combat, but destroys only to punish or renew. In battle, she observes her foes carefully before striking at those she believes are the most deserving of her wrath. Enemies who flee when their leaders are defeated are generally allowed to escape, having learned a lesson they will not soon forget. Biography Once the Titans felt satisfied with their creation upon Azeroth, they left to roam the cosmos in search of new worlds on which they would shape order from chaos, creating new life throughout a myriad of worlds. Before their departure from Azeroth however, the Titans empowered five dragons to become stewards of that world. Their purpose: to guard Azeroth as the Dragon Aspects, protecting the Titans' creation. Eonar, the titan patron of all life, gave a portion of her power to the Red leviathan Alexstrasza. Ever after, Alexstrasza would be known as the Life-Binder, working to safeguard all living creatures of Azeroth. Due to her supreme wisdom and limitless compassion for all living things, Alexstrasza was crowned the Dragonqueen and given dominion over her kind. Although one of the most powerful of the dragons, she is not the eldest, her once-consort Tyranastrasz being her elder by several hundreds if not thousands of years before the Titans gifted her. War of the Ancients Alexstrasza was one of the three dragon aspects that fought the demons of the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients. It was also in that war that the black dragon Neltharion deceived his fellow Aspects, using the Dragon Soul (also now known as the Demon Soul) to steal a portion of their power. After the War of the Ancients ended, when Illidan, brother of Malfurion Stormrage, emptied three vials of water from the Well of Eternity over the river of Mount Hyjal, Alexstrasza decided to use the Well as a tool to heal the war-ravaged land by placing a magical acorn from G'Hanir, the Mother Tree, into the new Well of Hyjal. The tree that grew from this acorn was proclaimed the original World Tree of Azeroth, and is named Nordrassil. The Second War Ten thousand years later during the Second War, Nekros Skullcrusher, an orc of the Dragonmaw Clan, was given the Dragon Soul by his Warchief Zuluhed. Using the awesome power of this ancient artifact, Nekros and the Dragonmaw Orcs teleported to the Red dragonflight's lair and captured Alexstrasza and her consorts, including her eldest consort Tyranastrasz. The offspring of these dragons were then used by the orcs as powerful war mounts. Alexstrasza had no choice but to succumb to this terrible slavery, lest her unborn clutches be slain at the hand of her cruel captor. As the aspect of life, this caused Alexstrasza pain as it could no one else, and she cried for the deaths of her children and the deaths they caused. Following the Second War After the Second War ended, Alexstrasza became more valuable to the Horde than ever, as a consummation of Horde military power. Thus she was to be protected at all costs. However, Deathwing, ancient traitor to Alexstrasza and her most hated enemy, who had partly arranged for her continued subjugation during the Second War, arranged an elaborate plot to draw her into the open and steal her children in the hopes of generating his own progeny. His plan, however, unwittingly facilitated her escape. As the orcs began moving their captive dragons away from the fortress of Grim Batol in an attempt to safeguard their slaves from the reach of the Alliance, the caravan was attacked by Deathwing. During the battle that followed, Tyranastrasz was slain by the Black Wyrm, but the ancient Dragonqueen was set free to slay her evil captor Nekros, and to reclaim her children from the grip of the Horde. With the help of her former mate Korialstrasz, Alexstrasza then rejoined the remaining Aspects Nozdormu, Malygos, and Ysera. The human mage, Rhonin, destroyed the Demon Soul, releasing their powers and enabling them to drive Deathwing into hiding. Even today, it is not clear whether Neltharion still lives, or where he makes his brood, but the ravaged orc caravan still remains in the Wetlands swamps. Her fire-breathing children returned to their posts as protectors of all life, and worked to rebuild their devastated race. Alexstrasza's currently resides in Northrend, playing a part in the fight against the blue dragons in Northrend. Powers and abilities Among Alexstrasza's abilities, she can regrow forests and heal the land. She can animate the dead and resurrect. In Blackwing Lair, Vaelastrasz calls upon the power of Alexstrasza to aid the raid group in defeating his corrupted form. The raid is then given a buff called Essence of the Red, which essentially grants infinite mana, rage, and energy for 3 minutes. Also known as * The Life-Binder/Binder of Life * The Dragonqueen * She Who is Life * Queen Of Life World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Alexstrasza appears in Wrath of the Lich King, making her one of four Dragon Aspects who can be seen in game (Deathwing the exception). Malygos has declared war on all mortal spellcasters, especially the Kirin Tor of Dalaran. The Red Dragonflight is allying with the mortals against Malygos' crusade, partly because of a promise made by Alexstrasza to Rhonin after being freed from the Dragonmaw Clan, that neither she nor her flight would harm the races of the rescuers. Alexstrasza is the head of the Wyrmrest Accord, the united effort of the Dragonflights against Malygos' crusade. It is also revealed that Alexstrasza, along with her fellow Aspects are progeny of Galakrond the massive dragon. Alexstrasza will also appear in her draconic form at Angrathar the Wrath Gate after the completion of / (where she will replay the cutscene depicting the battle there at the players' request) and in the Eye of Eternity, the Onyxia-style raid in the Nexus, where she will aid players in slaying the Spell-Weaver. She is involved in the following quests: Azure Dragonshrine quest chain: # or # Angrathar the Wrath Gate quest chain: # or # # # or # or One of the realms in World of Warcraft is named after Alexstrasza - see Realm Names and their place in Warcraft Lore. Memorable quotes * "I...will...kill...you...someday..." - to Nekros Skullcrusher, after being captured (Tides of Darkness) * "Life... hope... and what they bring with them..." - to Deathwing, upon being asked what powers she could use against him (Day of the Dragon) * "Nekrosss... You had them ssslay my children! My children!" * "You will go through all I have gone through, Dark One." * "Life is my Aspect, dark one, and I, like all mothers, know both the pain and wonders that entails! For the past several years, I have watched my children be raised as instruments of war, slaughtered if they proved insufficient or too willful! I have lived knowing that so many died that I could do nothing for!" * "I shall let you experience firsthand all that I have suffered..." * "I did what I had to, brother. You gave me no alternative." * "This resolution pains me deeply, but the destruction - the monumental loss of life - had to end. Regardless of Malygos's recent transgressions, I will mourn his loss. He was once a guardian, a protector. This day, one of the world's mightiest, has fallen." Speculation Thrall's encounter with Alexstrasza Thrall may have once encountered Alexstrasza in a place called "Alexstrasza's Cave", but the story of that event has never been told. Alexstrasza is easily the most powerful individual on Azeroth. She's a huge red dragon who could just as easily crush an army as cunningly manipulate its leaders to her own ends. She has a brilliant intellect and delights in toying with the lesser creatures who cross her path. The encounter with Alexstrasza would have been related in the cancelled Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans. There is no mention of any draconic encounters in other narrations of Thrall's life, so it looks like this never happened. Relatives Tyranastrasz was Alexstrasza's Prime Consort during the War of the Ancients. Tyran was described as her eldest of three consorts captured by the Dragonmaw Clan of orcs. Since Korialstrasz is her current Prime Consort and youngest of all consorts, he would be her fourth consort known. It is not mentioned who the second and third consorts were by name but it is stated that one perished trying to escape over the sea and the other had died of injuries inflicted by Deathwing. References External links Category:Dragons Category:Red Dragonflight Category:Lore characters Category:Game characters Category:Major characters Category:Lore Category:Wrath of the Lich King Category:Dragonblight NPCs Category:Dragon quest givers